When my husband and I went searching for high chairs we weren't thrilled with the cost; especially since our daughter was breast fed, and still is, and wouldn't be needing the chair for a few months. So, we ended up getting a really inexpensive, but FANTASTICALLY versatile high chair that just attaches to our dining chairs. It's from "The First Years," I have to say I love their products, and it's awesome because it goes from infant with a bottle, all the way to a toddler booster seat. The best part, at the time, was that it was only $20. Whoopee! Now, I have another reason to appreciate this chair. My daughter has started throwing her head back and trying to 'rock' in the chair. Not sure why she's doing it, but there it is. If she were in a regular high chair the thing would have tipped over and been on the ground with her in it. Because it's attached to our regular dining room chairs (which are heavier) she hasn't been able to make it move. I'm still going to be watching her like a hawk while she's in it, but at least I know that there is yet another reason to love the chair I have.
I made a dent in the mess today. There are actually things on the shelves right now. Of course, there are other things on the floor that weren't on the floor yesterday, like my daughter's set of measuring cups and her measuring spoons. At least those are bright red, plastic, and easy to pick up. She loves them. She especially loves smashing her yogurt drops on her high chair tray with them and then throwing them off for mommy to fetch. Ah well, dinner time!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
The encroaching mess...
And the never ending battle with it. My daughter is slowly taking over the house inch by inch. She started off just taking over our bedroom. We only have a two bedroom right now and in the beginning we felt more comfortable having her in our room rather than in the second bedroom. So, our bedroom has a crib, a changing table, her dresser (ours is now in our closet), and various blankets lying about. Now that she's crawling around we can add toys on the floor in our living room. They start out each day up on shelves and in fabric bins; and we end the day with them spread from one end to the other. She's learning to walk too. I can only imagine that the mess is going to get worse before it gets better. She can't quite walk yet; she's pulling herself up on EVERYTHING and everyone she can get her hands on and she's starting to transfer from one object to another. Nothing is safe or sacred. Eek!
I finally broke down today and get another diaper bag; third one's a charm! I had one that was really comfortable to wear but didn't really have the right amount of space. So, I got a second one that had a ton of space. Unfortunately, it isn't the most comfortable or easy to carry around. Since we are still traveling all over the place I really wanted one that would be easy to get around with. So, I got a back-pack one. I used it today on a walk and I've already decided that I should have gotten a backpack one the first time and forgotten about all the 'bags'. My advice to new parents: get a backpack diaper bag. Especially if you are planning on traveling with your little one. It's also Dad friendly. I should have listened to my friends in Alaska when I was thinking of getting the second one. Oh well, live and learn! I also picked up a "PeaPod" packable baby bed. It folds up into a small enough package to pack in a suit case, has an air mattress and sleeping pad (that also pack into the same container), and has a side open zipper. I really like the side zipper since my daughter is the queen of waking up the second she senses a downward motion. It is also supposed to be good for taking to the beach or spending some time outdoors as it has a UV shield. Whoohoo! I'm taking it for a test run in the near future and I will get back to how well it works later. And...onto cleaning up the mess for the evening...
I finally broke down today and get another diaper bag; third one's a charm! I had one that was really comfortable to wear but didn't really have the right amount of space. So, I got a second one that had a ton of space. Unfortunately, it isn't the most comfortable or easy to carry around. Since we are still traveling all over the place I really wanted one that would be easy to get around with. So, I got a back-pack one. I used it today on a walk and I've already decided that I should have gotten a backpack one the first time and forgotten about all the 'bags'. My advice to new parents: get a backpack diaper bag. Especially if you are planning on traveling with your little one. It's also Dad friendly. I should have listened to my friends in Alaska when I was thinking of getting the second one. Oh well, live and learn! I also picked up a "PeaPod" packable baby bed. It folds up into a small enough package to pack in a suit case, has an air mattress and sleeping pad (that also pack into the same container), and has a side open zipper. I really like the side zipper since my daughter is the queen of waking up the second she senses a downward motion. It is also supposed to be good for taking to the beach or spending some time outdoors as it has a UV shield. Whoohoo! I'm taking it for a test run in the near future and I will get back to how well it works later. And...onto cleaning up the mess for the evening...
Friday, January 22, 2010
New Products
I like to be somewhat environmentally savvy and while we were living in Oregon, where there's a recycling bin every two feet, it was fairly easy to recycle. We now live in New Mexico, where it is a bit harder since I'd have to bring all of my recycling to the center; with an 8 month old that's taking over the house inch by inch there isn't a lot of room to spare with things like recycling storage. So, we haven't been recycling (grimace). When I first had my daughter my husband and I looked into doing cloth diapers because it's more environmentally friendly and slightly more cost efficient after the initial spending...of course that initial spending can cost you somewhere between $200 and $500. We got a ton of disposable diapers for gifts and so, until today, we've been sticking with those. I have a small problem with disposable diapers; for some bizarre reason someone decided that they should be scented. So, if you want to try to save some money by buying in bulk you almost always end up with scented diapers. I have sensitive skin, my daughter has sensitive skin...scents don't go well with sensitive skin. There is my dilemma. I have recently purchased a semi disposable semi cloth diaper. "Little Gpants" have a cotton stretch diaper and a liner that are completely washable and you can fill them with either biodegradable (and FLUSHABLE!!!) pads, or with washable cloth absorbers. So, I'm trying them. The cost for the diaper and liner portion wasn't bad at all and the cost for the biodegradable pads wasn't terrible either. I think in all we pay the same amount of money for 10 less pads, which is something I'm willing to do since it will ease my environmental guilt.
Another new thing we've been trying is Yogurt. I initially went with the Gerbers Yogurt packs that you don't need to refrigerate initially. They are more custard like and my daughter hated them. They weren't organic either and had extra sugar. I tried YoBaby recently and we now have it as part of our morning routine. And YoBaby recently came up with a freeze dried version that is similar to the Gerber Yogurt drops, but it is all organic as well without extra sugar. Guess what? My daughter loves them! Hooray for new things we like!
Another new thing we've been trying is Yogurt. I initially went with the Gerbers Yogurt packs that you don't need to refrigerate initially. They are more custard like and my daughter hated them. They weren't organic either and had extra sugar. I tried YoBaby recently and we now have it as part of our morning routine. And YoBaby recently came up with a freeze dried version that is similar to the Gerber Yogurt drops, but it is all organic as well without extra sugar. Guess what? My daughter loves them! Hooray for new things we like!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Adventures with a Belly!
No, I'm not pregnant again! I'll just say that upfront right now! I am not pregnant again and we are not trying to get pregnant again for a few more years. So there! However, I have 1,2,3...7? I think 7 friends who are either: pregnant, just had a baby, or are trying to get pregnant. So, this makes me think back to being pregnant and some of my experiences. This is for my friends, who are pregnant, recently became moms, and who are trying to get pregnant.
Pregnancy bellies are so cute, and round, and touchable right? WRONG! WRONG! WRONG! They are cute, and round, and so NOT for everyone to touch! That's something that just happens as soon as you have a cute round belly. Everyone wants to rub it, touch it, pat it...etc. They all want to touch. Some people wait for an invitation or ask. THANK YOU to all those wonderfully polite people who ask or wait for an invitation, implied or spoken, before touching. It's just very rude otherwise! I used to work for an insurance company and all of the people I worked with were very nice and it was never uncomfortable for them to come and say hello to me and say hi to the baby by way of a small rub or a "hello" directed at my stomach. There were some other people who worked in the building who didn't get the 'no touch' memo. I once had a lady come up to me right after she came out of the bathroom, stick her hands on my massively large baby bump, and then say hello to me. I'd never met her before in my life! I still don't know her name.
I now have a way to deal with the uninvited tummy touchers, and I think I'll share. I don't remember what book I got this advice from, but the advice was to stick your hand on their stomach and talk to them as soon as they do it to you. That way they get the same intrusion that you do. I wish I had had the chance to use it! It would have been so gratifying.
I gained a lot of weight while I was pregnant. Mind you, I had an almost 9 lbs baby, but I still gained darn near 70 lbs. I'm 5'3" and wasn't thin as a rail when I got pregnant. So, 70 lbs was pretty awful and I had a huge, massive, pregnant belly. I looked like you could stick me with a pin and the baby would just pop right out. I have the pictures, and the stretch marks, to prove it. However, just because a pregnant woman has a rather large belly does not give anyone the right to come up and say: "Are you SURE you're not having twins?", "Wow! You've gained a ton of weight!", "You've just...um...expanded haven't you?", and my personal favorite "OMG! You're HUGE!" ..... yeah...don't ever say that. Ever. I always wanted to say, "Yeah, I'm pregnant and I've gained weight. What's your excuse?" But I never did.
I want to send a huge, huge, thank you out to one of my coworkers who never failed to say, "Oh, you look So beautiful!" every single time I saw her. She always made me feel beautiful and very proud of my baby belly. So, if you know someone who is pregnant, who just had a baby, or who wants to get pregnant tell them they are beautiful. Because they are, inside and out.
Pregnancy bellies are so cute, and round, and touchable right? WRONG! WRONG! WRONG! They are cute, and round, and so NOT for everyone to touch! That's something that just happens as soon as you have a cute round belly. Everyone wants to rub it, touch it, pat it...etc. They all want to touch. Some people wait for an invitation or ask. THANK YOU to all those wonderfully polite people who ask or wait for an invitation, implied or spoken, before touching. It's just very rude otherwise! I used to work for an insurance company and all of the people I worked with were very nice and it was never uncomfortable for them to come and say hello to me and say hi to the baby by way of a small rub or a "hello" directed at my stomach. There were some other people who worked in the building who didn't get the 'no touch' memo. I once had a lady come up to me right after she came out of the bathroom, stick her hands on my massively large baby bump, and then say hello to me. I'd never met her before in my life! I still don't know her name.
I now have a way to deal with the uninvited tummy touchers, and I think I'll share. I don't remember what book I got this advice from, but the advice was to stick your hand on their stomach and talk to them as soon as they do it to you. That way they get the same intrusion that you do. I wish I had had the chance to use it! It would have been so gratifying.
I gained a lot of weight while I was pregnant. Mind you, I had an almost 9 lbs baby, but I still gained darn near 70 lbs. I'm 5'3" and wasn't thin as a rail when I got pregnant. So, 70 lbs was pretty awful and I had a huge, massive, pregnant belly. I looked like you could stick me with a pin and the baby would just pop right out. I have the pictures, and the stretch marks, to prove it. However, just because a pregnant woman has a rather large belly does not give anyone the right to come up and say: "Are you SURE you're not having twins?", "Wow! You've gained a ton of weight!", "You've just...um...expanded haven't you?", and my personal favorite "OMG! You're HUGE!" ..... yeah...don't ever say that. Ever. I always wanted to say, "Yeah, I'm pregnant and I've gained weight. What's your excuse?" But I never did.
I want to send a huge, huge, thank you out to one of my coworkers who never failed to say, "Oh, you look So beautiful!" every single time I saw her. She always made me feel beautiful and very proud of my baby belly. So, if you know someone who is pregnant, who just had a baby, or who wants to get pregnant tell them they are beautiful. Because they are, inside and out.
Clutter and Sleeping
I'm sitting here while my daughter is napping, I love nap time, and I'm wondering about all of these people I have on Facebook. Some of them I talk to fairly regularly and I use Facebook to keep in touch with them. Others I know fairly well and was friends with at some point in time, and I suppose I'm still friends with them now. However, they don't talk to me, haven't made any effort to do so in ages, and I haven't made much of an effort either. Is it bad to want to 'clean house' and remove some of the people that haven't made much of an effort to stay friends with me? I know that there are some people who are more 'lurkers,' who use Facebook infrequently and check on pictures of friends, maybe say hi once in a while...etc. I'm just not into the clutter of it all. I know it's lame and totally weird, but I really don't know why I bother to have so many people on there that I never talk to, never hear from, and frankly don't really know anymore. Ah well, there's my thoughts on that anyway.
My daughter has been insisting on crying herself to sleep, or rather she's been fighting going to sleep every night to the point of tears. Nothing helps, but she does finally settle down and sleep if you hold her so she can't squirm away. I don't know why all of a sudden she's decided that sleep is not a good thing, but there it is! We are all suffering from some sleep deprivation and aggravation these days. I hope she grows out of it soon. I was really looking forward to getting her to sleep in her crib all night long, or at least the majority of the night, and getting woken up less. I guess I'll have to keep reading "The No Cry Sleep Solution" and see if there are some more ideas that we can use to help her get to sleep faster, stay asleep longer, and wake up happier!
My daughter has been insisting on crying herself to sleep, or rather she's been fighting going to sleep every night to the point of tears. Nothing helps, but she does finally settle down and sleep if you hold her so she can't squirm away. I don't know why all of a sudden she's decided that sleep is not a good thing, but there it is! We are all suffering from some sleep deprivation and aggravation these days. I hope she grows out of it soon. I was really looking forward to getting her to sleep in her crib all night long, or at least the majority of the night, and getting woken up less. I guess I'll have to keep reading "The No Cry Sleep Solution" and see if there are some more ideas that we can use to help her get to sleep faster, stay asleep longer, and wake up happier!
Monday, January 18, 2010
Projects
I'm a project hoarder. I truly am. I have so many projects in my 'to be finished' stash I can't even count them all. At least 10!! My goal is to get at least half of them done before we move again; despite what my inner voice is saying to the contrary. That's the goal. I want to lesson my project load by half by the time we move again in July. We're moving regardless of whether or not my husband finds a new job. If he finds a new one then, "YEAH! We're moving out of state!" If he doesn't then, "YEAH! We're moving out of this frigging apartment...to another frigging apartment." Either way though, we're moving. So of course this means that I've started packing already.
No, you didn't read that last part wrong. I've started packing already. I think I have 10 or 11 boxes packed and stacked in the second bedroom. I'm really anal retentive this way. As soon as winter is over I'll probably pack all of our winter gear in a box too. When we search for new jobs if we find one the first thing I do is to go on Rent.com and search out prices on apartments. Then I go and find out about the city, where the best places to live are, where the apartments are in comparison to the high school, what the mean income of the state is, if there's a state income tax and how much it is...etc. I have checklists. I have checklists of places to search for jobs once a week. I am totally nuts; but my husband just says I'm "driven." Isn't he such a good guy?
Back to the topic: projects! I think, for my own curiosity I will try to list what I have to do in categories...
Cross Stitch - 3 stockings (one is in the finishing stages), 3 wall art ones, 1 from my great grandmother that she never finished. Total: 7 (YIKES)
Sewing - 2 jackets that need sleeves, 1 skirt, 1 pair of pants, 1 jacket to put together entirely, 3 Halloween costumes for next year (not sure how much that counts since I just got patterns today), 2 quilts that need quilting, 2 quilts that need to have more blocks put together, 1 angel wall hanging, 4 pants that need hemming or buttons or pockets fixed. Total: 17 (Oh. My. Goodness. What was I thinking?!!?)
Craft - 1 beaded necklace, 1 set of letters to string up for my daughter, 2 picture frames to paint. Total: 4 (Much better than the last two!)
Grand Total: 28 So, I need to bring that number closer to 14 by the time we move. Okay, so that's...5 months so if I do 2 to 3 a month I might achieve my goal of finishing half. We'll see. Maybe. Is this possible with an 8 month old?!?
No, you didn't read that last part wrong. I've started packing already. I think I have 10 or 11 boxes packed and stacked in the second bedroom. I'm really anal retentive this way. As soon as winter is over I'll probably pack all of our winter gear in a box too. When we search for new jobs if we find one the first thing I do is to go on Rent.com and search out prices on apartments. Then I go and find out about the city, where the best places to live are, where the apartments are in comparison to the high school, what the mean income of the state is, if there's a state income tax and how much it is...etc. I have checklists. I have checklists of places to search for jobs once a week. I am totally nuts; but my husband just says I'm "driven." Isn't he such a good guy?
Back to the topic: projects! I think, for my own curiosity I will try to list what I have to do in categories...
Cross Stitch - 3 stockings (one is in the finishing stages), 3 wall art ones, 1 from my great grandmother that she never finished. Total: 7 (YIKES)
Sewing - 2 jackets that need sleeves, 1 skirt, 1 pair of pants, 1 jacket to put together entirely, 3 Halloween costumes for next year (not sure how much that counts since I just got patterns today), 2 quilts that need quilting, 2 quilts that need to have more blocks put together, 1 angel wall hanging, 4 pants that need hemming or buttons or pockets fixed. Total: 17 (Oh. My. Goodness. What was I thinking?!!?)
Craft - 1 beaded necklace, 1 set of letters to string up for my daughter, 2 picture frames to paint. Total: 4 (Much better than the last two!)
Grand Total: 28 So, I need to bring that number closer to 14 by the time we move. Okay, so that's...5 months so if I do 2 to 3 a month I might achieve my goal of finishing half. We'll see. Maybe. Is this possible with an 8 month old?!?
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Moms Don't Get Weekends
The title is pretty self explanatory and very true. Moms don't get weekends; especially stay at home moms. Since I'm at home my 'job' so to speak is taking care of my daughter and doing many (not all) of the chores that need to be done day to day around our apartment. So, the weekend is pretty much like the rest of the week, except that my husband is generally home and sometimes underfoot. See, everyone who goes to work looks forward to the weekend to spend time with their families, to recharge their batteries, and get ready for the week ahead. Stay at home moms have to make time to recharge their batteries because they are, essentially, 'on call' 24/7. I have to say it's the one drawback to being at home because the weekend doesn't really exist. "Free Time" and "Spare Time" don't really apply, and people who try to ask me what I'm going to do with my "free time" at home with my daughter make me want to strangle them. My 'free time' is spent jogging (with my daughter), cooking, doing laundry, taking a shower, and checking the occasional e-mail. So, it's not really 'free time' to do whatever I want with. I need to start MAKING myself have 'free time' that is actually doing what I want to do: like catching up on a sewing project or getting my nails done, or sitting reading a book for an hour without getting interrupted by diaper changes, entertaining my daughter with different activities, cooking dinner, or any number of other casual interruptions. They add up. So, I say to all the people out there who think stay at home moms have it 'so easy' and with lots of 'free time': Moms DON'T get weekends!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
My Pink Elephant
My daughter has two pink elephant cuddly toys. They are for helping her get herself back to sleep without me in the night. I'm supposed to wear them around a little bit so some of 'mommy smells' gets onto them. We'll see how much it works, but so far I have some hopes...and lots of pink elephants running through my head like the big "Dumbo" elephants made out of pink champagne bubbles.
Of course I have another 'elephant' of sorts that I want to bring out into the open. I've been avoiding mentioning it, and wondering if I should mention it, but the truth is; it's part of my life right now and I want to be able to discuss it.
My mom has cancer. She got diagnosed with it shortly before Christmas and had surgery to remove a tumor in her leg in early December. She's doing pretty well; she has radiation therapy starting tomorrow and then chemotherapy after that, so sometime in April/March. I'm not sure how I feel about it. I mean obviously I'm upset that she's sick and I'm really hopeful that she's going to get through it all just fine. I just don't talk about it. I think about it sometimes, but if I dwell on it too much I just make myself crazy; so I try not to think about it too often. So, there, that's it. That's my pink elephant that also floats bubbly boo through my head.
Of course I have another 'elephant' of sorts that I want to bring out into the open. I've been avoiding mentioning it, and wondering if I should mention it, but the truth is; it's part of my life right now and I want to be able to discuss it.
My mom has cancer. She got diagnosed with it shortly before Christmas and had surgery to remove a tumor in her leg in early December. She's doing pretty well; she has radiation therapy starting tomorrow and then chemotherapy after that, so sometime in April/March. I'm not sure how I feel about it. I mean obviously I'm upset that she's sick and I'm really hopeful that she's going to get through it all just fine. I just don't talk about it. I think about it sometimes, but if I dwell on it too much I just make myself crazy; so I try not to think about it too often. So, there, that's it. That's my pink elephant that also floats bubbly boo through my head.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Jogging
Anyone who has met me would think, "Yeah, she is NOT a runner." and they would be right. I am not a runner. I'm a sissy girl when it comes to running, I do the whole chicken arm girly prancing run; it's bad. So I don't run. I've tried throughout the years to start running or jogging because I know that it can keep you in shape and I've always been looking at ways to stay in shape. I am not one of those naturally thin and lean people who can eat whatever they want, never exercise, and not gain a pound. Nope. Not one of them...
After I had my daughter I had a lot, A LOT, of weight to get off. Since I had a C-section I was allowed to walk for the first few weeks, and that was pretty much it. Luckily, I've discovered that walking has done wonders for me! I never knew I could get skinny legs, but lo and behold my legs are actually leaner than they were before I even got pregnant. The problem, of course, is to get the rest of my body back into a semblance of shape. I have a walking partner who actually likes to run/jog and she started making me do intervals of jogging with her on our walks. We haven't had a chance to walk in a while between illnesses, traveling, and the weather being a bit too cold to take our daughters for walks. So, this morning it was fairly nice out, not too chilly, and I actually went jogging with my daughter without having to have someone make me do it. And I jog-walked for a whole mile. So, the joggers and runners who read this will probably roll their eyes and go, "Oh, gee, a mile..." but for me a mile of jogging and walking is huge. Especially, since I was pushing a 20 lbs baby in a stroller. Now the real question is: can (or will) I do it again? We shall see...but since I have 10 lbs to go and a little weight I wanted off pre-pregnancy to go...I think there's a good chance of jogging becoming a permanent fixture in my days. Even if I do run like a sissy girl.
After I had my daughter I had a lot, A LOT, of weight to get off. Since I had a C-section I was allowed to walk for the first few weeks, and that was pretty much it. Luckily, I've discovered that walking has done wonders for me! I never knew I could get skinny legs, but lo and behold my legs are actually leaner than they were before I even got pregnant. The problem, of course, is to get the rest of my body back into a semblance of shape. I have a walking partner who actually likes to run/jog and she started making me do intervals of jogging with her on our walks. We haven't had a chance to walk in a while between illnesses, traveling, and the weather being a bit too cold to take our daughters for walks. So, this morning it was fairly nice out, not too chilly, and I actually went jogging with my daughter without having to have someone make me do it. And I jog-walked for a whole mile. So, the joggers and runners who read this will probably roll their eyes and go, "Oh, gee, a mile..." but for me a mile of jogging and walking is huge. Especially, since I was pushing a 20 lbs baby in a stroller. Now the real question is: can (or will) I do it again? We shall see...but since I have 10 lbs to go and a little weight I wanted off pre-pregnancy to go...I think there's a good chance of jogging becoming a permanent fixture in my days. Even if I do run like a sissy girl.
Adventures in Parenting
My husband and I have two more big trips planned before this summer. One to San Diego to visit friends, and one to Canada for a family wedding. Since we'll be traveling with our daughter and we're leaving the country for a few days we knew we'd need passports; and so would our daughter. We had all of our paperwork, all of our pictures, and everything ready to go and it took 2 and a half hours at the post office to get it taken care of. My husband was ready to spit nails and I was only slightly less annoyed.
My daughter has figured out how to pull herself up in the last couple days, so now she likes to practice all the time...I had a dream last night that she just pulled herself up and started walking and running. It was terrifying! I'm not ready for this! I'm still getting used to having her underfoot and not staying in the general area where I left her. I'm not ready for her to be pulling herself up and walking and running around! ACK! Sigh...oh well, ready or not here she comes!!
My daughter has figured out how to pull herself up in the last couple days, so now she likes to practice all the time...I had a dream last night that she just pulled herself up and started walking and running. It was terrifying! I'm not ready for this! I'm still getting used to having her underfoot and not staying in the general area where I left her. I'm not ready for her to be pulling herself up and walking and running around! ACK! Sigh...oh well, ready or not here she comes!!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
The Neighbors
I believe I may have mentioned that I really dislike the neighbor across the street. He doesn't live in my complex, he lives in one of the town homes across from us. He is, apparently, selling his unit and will be moving soon. I can't wait! He has a muscle car license plate reads: "--ELITE" That should give you some indication of how highly he thinks of himself and his car. It's a cherry red car that does a load roaring VROOOM every time he steps on the gas. Which he does, all the time. While he's sitting in the driveway showing it off, while he's leaving to go to work VROOM VROOM VROOM over every speed bump, when he comes home from work. Now I know that he doesn't have complete control over the sound. It is a special car after all. What kills me is that he will rev the engine while leaving the house, set off his wife's OBNOXIOUS car alarm and just let her alarm go until it automatically turns off. After all, he doesn't have to hear it, he's on his way to work...or wherever he goes. He does it all the time too. Seven am on a Sunday morning...oh yeah, he revs the engine, sets off her alarm and wakes up half the neighborhood. If I thought that going over and talking to him would help I would, but from the stories about how his wife (or girlfriend, or whatever) has acted towards the people who live in the apartments I don't think it will. I can't tell you how happy it made me when, a couple weeks ago, a nice "FOR SALE" sign showed up in their yard. *Happy Dance!*
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Losing My Mind
So many reasons why I think I might just be losing it. First off, I got offered a job this morning. My old job back at the insurance company. I turned it down. It wasn't the best job for me anyway and I wouldn't be getting paid well for it. I just couldn't stand the thought of leaving my daughter at daycare. She's just now getting to be really interesting and she does new things each day. Yesterday she actually said "Momma" in reference to me, which was really exciting. If I had to work full time how much would I miss? She's still figuring out crawling, she's starting to pull herself up, and she is just so inquisitive and exploratory. I don't want to miss this! My economic self is going, "Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Many people WANT a job!" My heart and emotional self just curl up into a huge ball of crying anxiety at the thought of leaving her all day at daycare. I had considered part-time at one point, but that's not what they offered me. Home I stay and happy for it! Now...if only I could find my marriage certificate so I don't have to mail in a written request for one...
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
CATS FOR SALE!!!
Okay I was kidding...mostly. I'm not sure what I am going to do about my naughty naughty cats. Picture this, you're lying in bed next to your almost asleep baby, it's quiet, the neighbor across the street hasn't taken his 'muscle' car out of his garage and revved it down the street (I really dislike that man), and all is well in the house. THEN your stupid, attention seeking, cat decides to HOWL outside the bedroom door and put his paws under it and rattles the door making a "HOWL BANG BANG RATTLE HOWL" noise that completely startles you and the baby. I was ready to kill him. I'm trying some new techniques to get my daughter to sleep through the night longer and better, and they are working by the way, but that stupid cat (Figaro) insists on getting his attention as soon as I shut the door to the bedroom. My husband was sitting on the couch perfectly willing to do some cat cuddling, but no, the cat has to be where I am. It's somewhat nice to know that the cat does actually love me, because cats are generally less showy in their affections. However, I would like the cat to discover another time to be attention seeking and another method of getting it. Any ideas? Any at all? Because I've just had it.
The other cat, Cyrano, doesn't seek out attention that way. He just acts out in small, almost un-noticeable ways. I say almost because you will eventually figure out WHY one particular box smells a bit "funny." He pees in any laundry basket, any suitcase that still has some clothes in it, even a bin filled with hats, gloves, and scarves. Not sure what to do about him either. I am seriously ready to just put them both outside and let them become indoor/outdoor cats and maybe get eaten by coyotes.
And then I feel horribly guilty for saying or even thinking that. They were my first 'babies' after all. Figaro is a Manx mix. A 16 1/2 pound tailless monster who started out life with me as a 4 week old kitten the size of my hand. Cyrano is a Norwegian Forest cat mix. A large, 15 pound ball of fluff that reminds me of a fuzzy slinky. I didn't know that there were breeds of cats that got this large. Silly me. Should have figured that since there were large breed dogs there just might be large breed cats. Well, there are, if you didn't know. Cyrano, the forest cat mix, is actually on the small side and is a little skinny for his 3 foot long self. Norwegian Forest cats can be as large as 25 lbs. Figaro is a little chubby, but not as much as he used to be and not nearly enough for the vet to be concerned. He is at the moment curled up between my legs perfectly content to get some cuddle time. Hopefully, he'll cuddle now and leave me alone to nurse my daughter and get her to sleep tonight!
The other cat, Cyrano, doesn't seek out attention that way. He just acts out in small, almost un-noticeable ways. I say almost because you will eventually figure out WHY one particular box smells a bit "funny." He pees in any laundry basket, any suitcase that still has some clothes in it, even a bin filled with hats, gloves, and scarves. Not sure what to do about him either. I am seriously ready to just put them both outside and let them become indoor/outdoor cats and maybe get eaten by coyotes.
And then I feel horribly guilty for saying or even thinking that. They were my first 'babies' after all. Figaro is a Manx mix. A 16 1/2 pound tailless monster who started out life with me as a 4 week old kitten the size of my hand. Cyrano is a Norwegian Forest cat mix. A large, 15 pound ball of fluff that reminds me of a fuzzy slinky. I didn't know that there were breeds of cats that got this large. Silly me. Should have figured that since there were large breed dogs there just might be large breed cats. Well, there are, if you didn't know. Cyrano, the forest cat mix, is actually on the small side and is a little skinny for his 3 foot long self. Norwegian Forest cats can be as large as 25 lbs. Figaro is a little chubby, but not as much as he used to be and not nearly enough for the vet to be concerned. He is at the moment curled up between my legs perfectly content to get some cuddle time. Hopefully, he'll cuddle now and leave me alone to nurse my daughter and get her to sleep tonight!
Monday, January 4, 2010
Bank Tellers
My family just got back into town from an extended vacation. So, as usual we've had a lot of errands we've had to run: grocery shopping, post office...the bank. We managed the grocery shopping first because we had no food in the house. My husband went back to a very stimulating (massive sarcasm) day of in-service at the high school he works at so the post office and the bank were on the list for my daughter and me today. The post office was a nightmare; thank goodness I did not have to stand in line! I just needed stamps, which I could get from a lovely automated machine; three people in line versus 40-50 in the counter line (yikes!).
Next we went on a short trip to Target to get diapers. Then, the bank. It was just before mid-day so I figured it might be faster to go through the drive-through rather than go in with a cranky baby and stand waiting in line. Well, I was partially right, my daughter was cranky, the line inside was long, and the drive-through looked much better. Of course I hadn't counted on the bank teller offering me all sorts of services after I had made my transaction. He's a very nice teller, I've talked with him before inside the bank, and he was just trying to make banking easier for my husband and I. It was, however, a service we don't want, don't need, and he kept trying to sell me on it while I was sitting in a car with a screaming child. Who does that? It's a two-way intercom system so clearly he could hear my child screaming and see the line of cars waiting to be served. I know he was trying to be helpful and I was not rude (no, mother I was not rude), but come on? Really? Is that the best time to be asking people about their banking choices?
Next we went on a short trip to Target to get diapers. Then, the bank. It was just before mid-day so I figured it might be faster to go through the drive-through rather than go in with a cranky baby and stand waiting in line. Well, I was partially right, my daughter was cranky, the line inside was long, and the drive-through looked much better. Of course I hadn't counted on the bank teller offering me all sorts of services after I had made my transaction. He's a very nice teller, I've talked with him before inside the bank, and he was just trying to make banking easier for my husband and I. It was, however, a service we don't want, don't need, and he kept trying to sell me on it while I was sitting in a car with a screaming child. Who does that? It's a two-way intercom system so clearly he could hear my child screaming and see the line of cars waiting to be served. I know he was trying to be helpful and I was not rude (no, mother I was not rude), but come on? Really? Is that the best time to be asking people about their banking choices?
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Travel Extravaganza
In the last 6 weeks my daughter and I have traveled extensively; across the country in fact. 6 weeks, 9 airplanes, 4 states (not including the brief stops to change planes). So, I've come to the conclusion that I have some travel credentials when it comes to traveling with children. Which means, of course, that I have some items of interest to talk about: other passengers, feeding an infant, traveling solo with a lap child, airlines, and security.
First off, other passengers... when I used to travel before I had kids I always felt sorry for the parents who would get on an airplane and have a fussy kid. Now, I've been one and I feel even sorrier for those whose kids cry on a plane. It's a nightmare. First off, you don't want your child to be feeling upset or in pain from the changing pressure. Secondly, you don't want your child to bother any of the other passengers and there will be plenty who will glare at the first sign of a fussy kid. Yet other passengers can also be a blessing when it comes to playing peek-a-boo or being willing to hold your child while you run to the bathroom. THANK YOU THANK YOU for the wonderful passengers who don't hold it against you that you are traveling with a child!!
Feeding an infant... The first time I traveled with my daughter on a plane I didn't need to worry about feeding her. It was an hour long flight, my husband was with me, and it coincided with her nap time. I was in heaven! The next time I traveled with her I was by myself, the flight was delayed, nap time was deferred, and my daughter ate in the terminal first. Not a huge ordeal in the terminal since you usually have some place (even the floor) to place a jar of food. However, this was a much longer flight and she had to eat again before we had landed. So here I am, 30,000 feet in the air with a hungry child, a jar of food, and a Boon travel spoon. I love the Boon Travel Spoon. If it were not for that spoon, which has a bulb on one end that you can fill with food that then gets squeezed out onto a spoon lip, I would have had to juggle a baby, an open jar of food, and a spoon. It would have been a mess! A sticky, slimy, mess all over the other passenger (or passengers) in my row. If you are traveling by yourself I highly recommend that item!
Traveling solo with a lap child... my biggest piece of advice is to pack your carry-on diaper bag light, but with all of the essentials. Do Not over-pack with toys, books, or games! You have to carry it, your child, and probably some sort of stroller or car seat. I over-packed the first time and was tired before I even boarded the first plane.
Lastly airlines and security... Check the airline website before you travel. Some airlines are better than others about what you can carry on, what can be checked (for free!), what may be checked for an extra fee, and what time you board your flight. For instance, Southwest flights have Family Boarding; after the first 60 people get on. Delta flights you get to board with First Class, Business Class, and all of the other Elite groups. There's a trade-off in bags though; Southwest gets the first two free, Delta you pay for the first one (although some baby items can be checked for free). So, know what you can check and take on as a carry-on before hand. Security...ah, security how much I loathe thee! Security has a purpose and I won't deny it, however they do not make it easy for families traveling with children. Some airports have made it easier with a "Family and Medical Liquids" Lane that you go to when you go through security. Since you're with a lot of other families you won't have any glares for taking forever to get through. My first 'on my own' trip with my daughter through security included the TSA Officer inspecting her water saying, "I need to run a chemical test on this." I asked what that entailed and he said, "I'll put a chemical in it to see if it's a liquid explosive." So, I promptly said you can just throw it away because she's going to want to drink it later. Then he said, "Oh, I was only joking I just need to wave a test strip over it; nothing goes inside. I shouldn't tease parents like that." No kidding. Very funny. Ha. Ha. I'm laughing all over.
First off, other passengers... when I used to travel before I had kids I always felt sorry for the parents who would get on an airplane and have a fussy kid. Now, I've been one and I feel even sorrier for those whose kids cry on a plane. It's a nightmare. First off, you don't want your child to be feeling upset or in pain from the changing pressure. Secondly, you don't want your child to bother any of the other passengers and there will be plenty who will glare at the first sign of a fussy kid. Yet other passengers can also be a blessing when it comes to playing peek-a-boo or being willing to hold your child while you run to the bathroom. THANK YOU THANK YOU for the wonderful passengers who don't hold it against you that you are traveling with a child!!
Feeding an infant... The first time I traveled with my daughter on a plane I didn't need to worry about feeding her. It was an hour long flight, my husband was with me, and it coincided with her nap time. I was in heaven! The next time I traveled with her I was by myself, the flight was delayed, nap time was deferred, and my daughter ate in the terminal first. Not a huge ordeal in the terminal since you usually have some place (even the floor) to place a jar of food. However, this was a much longer flight and she had to eat again before we had landed. So here I am, 30,000 feet in the air with a hungry child, a jar of food, and a Boon travel spoon. I love the Boon Travel Spoon. If it were not for that spoon, which has a bulb on one end that you can fill with food that then gets squeezed out onto a spoon lip, I would have had to juggle a baby, an open jar of food, and a spoon. It would have been a mess! A sticky, slimy, mess all over the other passenger (or passengers) in my row. If you are traveling by yourself I highly recommend that item!
Traveling solo with a lap child... my biggest piece of advice is to pack your carry-on diaper bag light, but with all of the essentials. Do Not over-pack with toys, books, or games! You have to carry it, your child, and probably some sort of stroller or car seat. I over-packed the first time and was tired before I even boarded the first plane.
Lastly airlines and security... Check the airline website before you travel. Some airlines are better than others about what you can carry on, what can be checked (for free!), what may be checked for an extra fee, and what time you board your flight. For instance, Southwest flights have Family Boarding; after the first 60 people get on. Delta flights you get to board with First Class, Business Class, and all of the other Elite groups. There's a trade-off in bags though; Southwest gets the first two free, Delta you pay for the first one (although some baby items can be checked for free). So, know what you can check and take on as a carry-on before hand. Security...ah, security how much I loathe thee! Security has a purpose and I won't deny it, however they do not make it easy for families traveling with children. Some airports have made it easier with a "Family and Medical Liquids" Lane that you go to when you go through security. Since you're with a lot of other families you won't have any glares for taking forever to get through. My first 'on my own' trip with my daughter through security included the TSA Officer inspecting her water saying, "I need to run a chemical test on this." I asked what that entailed and he said, "I'll put a chemical in it to see if it's a liquid explosive." So, I promptly said you can just throw it away because she's going to want to drink it later. Then he said, "Oh, I was only joking I just need to wave a test strip over it; nothing goes inside. I shouldn't tease parents like that." No kidding. Very funny. Ha. Ha. I'm laughing all over.
Starting off the New Year...with plumbers
Or maybe I should say starting off the new year with a pile of poo. Literally, I'm not kidding. This year I started off my New Year with a large pile of poo thanks to my grandmother's broken sewer line. Let me backtrack a moment; my husband and I, along with our 7 and a half month daughter were visiting my grandmother in the lovely East Bay area of California. We were there to celebrate a late Christmas with my family as well as New Years. My grandmother has an extensive, beautiful garden, that she likes to keep in great shape. Previous to the finding of 'the poo' we all put in some "time on the Rock," as my mother calls it, to do some weeding and various sprucing up of the beds. So, we all 'played' in the poo without realizing it. YUCK!
Now, isn't that quite an introduction into what will be, I am sure, a hysterical documentation of the life of a stay at home mom of one. I am the wife of a fabulous teacher; with aspirations of someday teaching elementary school myself after all my kids (yes I'm hoping for another in a few years) have themselves started kindergarten. I have two enormous cats that provide endless entertainment as well as cursing as they like to get into an inordinate amount of trouble. A very inquisitive, delightful daughter who has, in the last week, crossed into the crawling stage. My husband, the High School Drama and Theatre Teacher who always brings a sense of humor into our house...whether he plans to or not. And so, with a cat butt in my face and a daughter who is FINALLY taking a much needed nap I will sign off my first post. Happy New Year!
Now, isn't that quite an introduction into what will be, I am sure, a hysterical documentation of the life of a stay at home mom of one. I am the wife of a fabulous teacher; with aspirations of someday teaching elementary school myself after all my kids (yes I'm hoping for another in a few years) have themselves started kindergarten. I have two enormous cats that provide endless entertainment as well as cursing as they like to get into an inordinate amount of trouble. A very inquisitive, delightful daughter who has, in the last week, crossed into the crawling stage. My husband, the High School Drama and Theatre Teacher who always brings a sense of humor into our house...whether he plans to or not. And so, with a cat butt in my face and a daughter who is FINALLY taking a much needed nap I will sign off my first post. Happy New Year!
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